Where to watch the World Cup 2018 as a local

mada999

Well folks,

We were talking about this topic in work. Since Ireland didn't qualify we wont be going to Russia (not that i've a problem as i've been there before).

What country would be the best place to go and watch the world cup to soak up the atmosphere with the locals ?

Some people in work were saying Peru (last world cup was 1982)
I was saying Panama as it is their first world cup however the time difference is -6 hours -games would be on at weird times

Iceland may be a good shout as it's their first WC also (pints would be expensive though)

Here's the teams:

Team Last Qualified
 Iceland N/A
 Panama N/A
 Peru 1982
 Egypt 1990
 Morocco 1998
 Senegal 2002
 Saudi Arabia 2006
 Tunisia 2006
 Poland 2006
 Sweden 2006
 Denmark 2010
 Serbia 2010
 Iran 2014
 Costa Rica 2014
 Croatia 2014
 Australia 2014
 Japan 2014
 Nigeria 2014
 Colombia 2014
 Portugal 2014
 South Korea 2014
 Russia 2014
 Switzerland 2014
 Belgium 2014
 Uruguay 2014
 England 2014
 Spain 2014
 France 2014
 Mexico 2014
 Argentina 2014
 Germany 2014
 Brazil 2014

So what competing country (and /City) would you go to and watch the world cup 'as a local' and what would be your criteria ?

or have you been in country before whose team was in the world cup... how was it ?

scudzilla

Tehran (Iran) would be good craic

kfallon

If I was homosexual I would defo go to Saudi Arabia to watch the games!

Ferris_Bueller

I am looking to go away for a holiday during the world cup and this was one of the factors that came into my decision.. Said I would like to go to a country that are playing in the world cup while I am over there, think we are going to go to Krakow and I will be there for their final group game which should be a good atmosphere, didn't realise it's their first WC since 2006.

If money was no issue and you were going purely for the reason in the OP then I would say Iceland would be a no brainer. Egypt will surely be mental too and they have a realistic chance of getting out of the group and one of the form players in the world on their hands.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

Depends on who wins it!

Iceland - Would be great craic, Bbut boody expensive place to go out and get drunk watching football.
Germany - No to the early stages, yes to the later ones (that said, I live in Berlin and know several bars that give out free shots with the Germans score....)
Brazil (and possibly Argentina) - These would be my choice. Always wanted to visit these countries and Brazil looks like an awesome place for a football party.

Ideally you want one of the underdog teams that puts in a gut-busting run to the semis.

mada999

Ferris_Bueller wrote: »

I am looking to go away for a holiday during the world cup and this was one of the factors that came into my decision.. Said I would like to go to a country that are playing in the world cup while I am over there, think we are going to go to Krakow and I will be there for their final group game which should be a good atmosphere, didn't realise it's their first WC since 2006.

If money was no issue and you were going purely for the reason in the OP then I would say Iceland would be a no brainer. Egypt will surely be mental too and they have a realistic chance of getting out of the group and one of the form players in the world on their hands.

nice....was in Poland in 2012 for the euros and it was savage!!

Was in Krakow last year and it is a good spot

Liam O

I was in Berlin for a good bit of 2010 and Toronto for 2014. Toronto is such a melting pot I think it was great. If Colombia were playing they'd flood the streets, same for Brazil. They were the 2 most noticeable but the large immigrant communities were great.

Germany you could obviously get behind a competitive team which is another way to go about it.

So Italy, Chile or the USA would probably be good bets...oh wait.

Summer In the City

I was in Barcelona when Spain won it in 2010. Watched it in an Irish bar off the Rambles. Talk a about a subdued ****e atmosphere out on the street after.

mada999

Liam O wrote: »

Toronto is such a melting pot I think it was great.

What about the time difference in Toronto, the games would be on in the day time was there many in the pubs, bit of craic ??

Cake Man

Don't come to Australia anyway, there's not too much build up to it, the games are going to be on at God awful hours in the middle of the night/early morning and it'll be the middle of winter

Beasty

Uruguay have won it twice, including being the first winners back in 1930 on home territory and in 1950 next door in Brazil. I've got a bit of memorabilia from both victories. Wouldn't mind a trip to Montevideo as I've already been to Sao Paulo and Buenos Aires, and the South American fans are probably the nuttiest out there

J Mysterio

Liam O wrote: »

I was in Berlin for a good bit of 2010 and Toronto for 2014. Toronto is such a melting pot I think it was great. If Colombia were playing they'd flood the streets, same for Brazil. They were the 2 most noticeable but the large immigrant communities were great.

Germany you could obviously get behind a competitive team which is another way to go about it.

So Italy, Chile or the USA would probably be good bets...oh wait.

I was in Toronto for Euro 2004. It's amazing to see the carnival atmosphere from the different neighbourhoods! Portuguese and Italian communites stood out for me then! Driving around, honking their horns, everyone waving flags and hopping about.

Drumpot

Ha, no wAy. I forgot I will be in France during the World Cup! We booked it last year and the thought never occurred to me!

But if I had to choose a World Cup base it would be Iceland.

chips1234

croatia is your answer

Dr. Kenneth Noisewater

Rob a bank and head to Iceland. It'll be amazing craic, plus the locals won't judge you, they're not fond of banks there.

mada999

chips1234 wrote: »

croatia is your answer

mmm never been.... prob should stay away from the beach places eh?

Mars Bar

chips1234 wrote: »

croatia is your answer

The most beautiful place I've been

yabadabado

Would you not still go to Russia and pick 3 games to attend and maybe 3 cities to visit.
That's our plan and it's not that expensive and tickets aren't hard to come by.

Tom Mann Centuria

Engerland, because I enjoy trashing my home town centre when we get knocked out in group/last 16.

artanevilla

Probably going to fly over to Iceland for their opener just to soak up the atmosphere.

RoyalCelt

yabadabado wrote: »

Would you not still go to Russia and pick 3 games to attend and maybe 3 cities to visit.
That's our plan and it's not that expensive and tickets aren't hard to come by.

What cities are you going to?

@OP

Iceland N/A
Peru 1982
Egypt 1990
MOROCCO 1998
Poland 2006
Sweden 2006
Serbia 2010
Iran 2014
Costa Rica 2014
Croatia 2014
Nigeria 2014
Colombia 2014
Portugal 2014
Russia 2014
Belgium 2014
Uruguay 2014
Spain 2014
Mexico 2014
Argentina 2014
Brazil 2014

All of the above should have good atmospheres. If I'd to narrow it down I'd pick

Egypt
Portugal
Russia
Poland
Columbia,
Argentina,
Brazil
Mefigi6
Iceland
Croatia

Poland would be my preferred choice and I'd do a 3 city trip between krakow, Warsaw and gdansk. Gdansk will have a lot of fans staying there from various countries who are playing in kalingrad which is close. The food and drink is very cheap in Poland, the cities are nice and the woman and atmosphere will be good. You could even go to the last 16 match in kalingrad by bus from gdansk.

yabadabado

RoyalCelt wrote: »

What cities are you going to?

Samara
Saransk
Novgorod
Moscow

A few days and a match in each city.

billyhead

Poland would be my preferred choice and I'd do a 3 city trip between krakow, Warsaw and gdansk. Gdansk will have a lot of fans staying there from various countries who are playing in kalingrad which is close. The food and drink is very cheap in Poland, the cities are nice and the woman and atmosphere will be good. You could even go to the last 16 match in kalingrad by bus from gdansk.[/QUOTE]

Have to agree with this.Was at Euro 2012 for the group games and had a great time. The people are sound, the weather will be nice in June, and the women:eek:. There also good supporters and really get behind their team.

Mushy

Definitely do Poland OP. Nice cities, pubs be busy, good atmosphere, be cheap too. Can't go wrong.